The Newscaster/Nature Coast News
PAGE 11 - January 21, 2009
Letter to the Editor:
Yankeetown Mayor’s Report
Reply: Jack Schofield, you' re my hero!
A Guest Commentary by Dawn Clary
It appears that you alone of the town government have the courage to stand up to
the Mayor and other members of the Yankeetown Council and publicly address the issue of
The Town Council voted to approve the Stipulation Agreement with the Department of
the Progress Energy projects.
Community Affairs after a hearing Monday the 5th. The stipulation agreement is designed to
These projects have been a challenge to our community since the day of their public
resolve the DCA's concerns with our Comprehensive Plan amendment and bring it into full
announcement, so I'm surprised that you seem to have only recently become aware of the
compliance by making the necessary changes to the comp plan. The council also voted to put
magnitude of the challenge. However, that is not the issue, what is at the point of this letter is
the amendment to a referendum. Our Land Use Attorney, Mr. Ralf Brookes had a proposed
that the mayor has been adamantly opposed from day one to any open discussion of this
ballot question but it was decided that it may be best to break up the comp plan issue into
issue and that no-one on the Town Council has chosen to take up the issue until now.
more that one question therefore allowing for more specificity. Mr. Brookes said he would
Everyone in Town who attended the two 'Candidate Forums' preceding our last election will
develop ballot items for the council and a meeting is scheduled for January 26th to review
remember that the mayor and half of the other candidates dismissed any discussion about
ballot proposals. . Unfortunately there is not enough time to get the issue on the ballot for the
this issue since it was “too far into the future to worry about” and that the impact of the
election on the 24th of February. It takes a significant amount of time to get a ballot question
project was being “blown way out of proportion”. There is a possibility that we could have
properly written, advertised and approved. Pending the approval of those ballot questions, a
had a far less costly (to us) water plant and even the possibly of a solution to a regional waste
special election would be planned but at this time the date is not set. A possible date in March
water treatment plant had we been allowed to discuss this with Progress Energy. Had there
was discussed but no definitive decision made. Stay tuned.
been a little less emphasis on stopping economic development in Town and more imaginative
The second hearing on the extension of the moratorium on commercial building was held
and intelligent planning on the part of the Government we might have even had some projects
last Friday and the council voted to extend the moratorium for another year. There are provi-
in place which would have placed us in the running for some “economic stimulus funds”. No
sions in the ordinance to lift the moratorium earlier if it is deemed no longer necessary. The
matter how often warnings were raised at town meetings that we were on shaky economic
main reason for extension appeared to be the fact that the Comprehensive Plan amendment
ground, we were told emphatically that these warnings were merely “scare tactics” and that
developed under the protection of the moratorium is still working its way through the process
discussion of future economic activity was unwarranted and unwelcome. When asked about
with the Department of Community Affairs. The Planning and Zoning Commission has also
the need for future planning to accommodate the Progress Energy work force we were told
not completed the review of the Land Development Regulations and these will also have to be
that a town police force and expanded traffic control on Hwy 19 and 40 were unnecessary, that
amended to reflect the Comp Plan amendment if passed. Council members expressed regret
housing would not be a problem, etc. Even the proposal by Inglis to combine fire assets and
but felt that the moratorium was still necessary. Public input included the need for jobs. It was
expand their police force into our area was allowed to die on the vine. Worst of all, attempts to
pointed out that businesses can still open up in Yankeetown even with the moratorium on and
give the Progress Energy projects the time and effort they deserved...no, demanded... were
that there are provisions to allow for expansion of existing commercial buildings under some
shut down by the mayor's insistence that there were more important issues and that every-
conditions. There are also commercial buildings available in Yankeetown. There was a dis-
thing else would have to wait...as if to say that the council could not take on more than one or
cussion of the town's gas purchasing policy which was not directly related to the hearing but
two issues at a time.
came up in public input. The policy has been to purchase fuel at the best price within a
Progress Energy is not our enemy; their projects may be the only thing that will save our
reasonable distance. This will be discussed further as a future agenda item.
communities from the economic ravages facing the rest of our nation. But, we need more than
As most of you already know, six candidates qualified for the February 24th election,
just one person, we need a council that is imaginative, forward looking, and not intent on
Douglas Dame, Mike Lineberger, James Petrovich, Sally Price, Annie Rosario, and Jack Schofield.
destroying Yankeetown's future.
Jim Petrovich,Yankeetown.
Correction, in my last article, concerning the development agreement negotiation process
Read The Newscaster online
with Izaak Walton Investors, I stated that the town granted the request to enter negotiations
in "May of 2005" however the correct date is May of 2006. Good Night and Good Luck, Dawn
log on to: newscasterarchives.com
Marie Clary, Mayor of Yankeetown
email your news to: newscast@atlantic.net
PUBLIC NOTICE
THE TOWN OF YANKEETOWN INFORMATION
ON THE 2009 ELECTION
ELECTION DATE: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2009
ELECTION TIME: 7:00AM TO 7:00PM
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OR
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